The Retirement Shift

When you’re in the early stages of your career, your primary focus is on building your wealth. This often involves investing in mutual funds, no-load funds, or index funds that provide growth opportunities. During this accumulation phase, you might not worry too much about market volatility because market dips can be beneficial, allowing you to buy investments at lower prices.

In this phase, the strategy is relatively straightforward: you aim for growth. You’re regularly contributing to your retirement accounts, taking advantage of compound interest, and generally benefiting from a long-term perspective. If the market takes a downturn, it’s not a significant concern because you’re not relying on these funds for your daily expenses. In fact, these downturns can be seen as buying opportunities, helping to build a more substantial nest egg for the future.

As you approach retirement, perhaps five to ten years away, your strategy needs to start evolving. This period is crucial for reassessing your risk tolerance and making adjustments to your portfolio. You still want your investments to grow, but you also need to start protecting what you’ve accumulated.

During this pre-retirement phase, risk management becomes more critical. This might involve gradually shifting some of your investments from high-growth, high-risk options to more stable, income-producing assets. You may also consider increasing your allocation in bonds or fixed-income securities or green money, which can provide a more predictable return and are less volatile than stocks.

It’s also the time to consider engaging a financial advisor if you haven’t already. An advisor can help you create a more detailed retirement plan, taking into account your expected expenses, income sources, and the longevity of your savings. They can also provide guidance on tax-efficient withdrawal strategies and ensure you’re making the most of your retirement accounts.

Once you retire, your financial strategy shifts dramatically from accumulation to distribution. Instead of focusing on growing your nest egg, you now need to generate a steady income from your savings. This transition requires careful planning and a different approach to managing your investments.

One of the most important aspects of this phase is understanding the safe withdrawal rate. This rate represents the percentage of your portfolio that you can withdraw annually without running the risk of depleting your funds too quickly. Currently, Morningstar suggests a safe withdrawal rate of around 4%, though this can vary depending on market conditions and individual circumstances. However, with strategic management, our clients often enjoy a higher withdrawal rate, around 6%, due to careful selection of income-generating investments and proactive management.

In retirement, managing risk becomes paramount. When you’re no longer earning a regular paycheck, large losses in your investment portfolio can be devastating. Therefore, it’s crucial to have a well-thought-out risk management strategy in place.

This might involve a combination of individual stocks and bonds, rather than mutual funds, to allow for more precise control over your investments. Individual stocks can be selected based on their performance and stability, and bonds and bond alternatives can provide a more predictable income stream. This approach helps balance the need for growth with the necessity of protecting your capital.

Active management plays a crucial role in navigating the retirement shift. In retirement, you need to be strategic about when and what to sell. In a down market, for instance, it’s essential to have non-correlated assets or those that are performing well to cover your distributions. This way, you’re not forced to sell undervalued investments at a loss.

Money in the market doesn’t disappear; it moves. During different market conditions, various assets perform differently. For example, in 2023, inflation-protected stocks saw significant inflows. Having a smartly diversified portfolio managed actively allows for these adjustments, ensuring that you’re selling the right assets at the right time.

Generating a stable income in retirement requires more than just withdrawing a set percentage from your portfolio each year. It involves a combination of income strategies, including:

Having a portion of your portfolio in non-correlated assets is essential to mitigate risk. Non-correlated assets are investments that do not move in tandem with stock market fluctuations. These might include commodities, real estate, or alternative investments like private equity or hedge funds. By diversifying your portfolio with non-correlated assets, you can reduce the overall volatility and provide more stability in your income streams.

One of our clients who retired a few years ago serves as a perfect example of successful retirement planning. Despite the rocky markets, they’re withdrawing a bit more than 6% for their income needs. Remarkably, their investments are still growing. This success story underscores the importance of managing your retirement income smartly and efficiently.

We were able to structure their portfolio in such a way that they were not only able to meet their income needs but also continue to see their investments grow. This involved a combination of dividend-paying stocks, bonds, and alternative investments that provided both income and growth potential.

The retirement shift requires careful planning and strategic adjustments. Moving from an accumulation mindset to a distribution strategy involves more than just changing your investments—it’s about protecting your hard-earned money while still achieving growth. If you’re approaching retirement or are already there, now is the time to seek professional advice to navigate this critical transition successfully.

If you’d like to schedule a personal one-on-one call with Michelle, click HERE to access Michelle’s calendar and schedule a day and time that is convenient for you.

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